ALWAYS PRAY AND DON’T GIVE UP!

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.– Luke 18:1

Jesus told his followers to determinedly, tenaciously, continuously pray. To never give up.

Amazing. Jesus makes it absolutely clear that the God of all creation wants to hear from us. Wants us to keep going to Him. Keep praying to Him. Keep trusting that our Heavenly Father will hear us and will answer us.

The parable that Jesus told is of a widow who is seeking justice against her adversary. She had somehow been unfairly, unjustly mistreated by another person. And she wasn’t going to take it lying down. The widow kept going to the judge in her town “who neither feared God nor cared about men” (Luke 18:2). She kept praying and didn’t give up. Finally, and only because the widow had nearly worn him down, the judge granted her justice.

Jesus went on to assure his disciples that God hears our prayers and He will “bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night…he will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:7-8).

Our God is the God of justice. He will be true to Himself. He will be faithful to His people.

Jesus also taught His followers to pray in this way:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”– Matthew 6:9-13

So, when we are praying for the things that God wants in our lives – praying for all that will bring about, and reveal, God’s kingdom, praying for the holy will of God to be made known and accomplished on this earth – we can be sure that God will answer these prayers. God will never tire of listening to or answering our prayers that seek His truth and justice, that ask for His mercy and salvation, His freedom and transformation – whether for our lives or for the lives of those we care about or, even, for the lives of those we find it hard to care about. We are to keep on praying and not give up. Not ever!

What do I, what do you, need to bring before our just, faithful, loving and sovereign Lord in prayer? What do we need to keep on praying – for whom do we need to keep on praying – that will bring God’s justice to light, establish God’s kingdom on earth and reveal God’s perfect will more fully?